Jung
by XX00Meg00XX
Summary: "But when they're fighting, oh it's a completely different story. She's defensive and unrelenting, hurting and vulnerable; an equal mixture of both sides that infinitely terrifies him." An AU insert written for (@ MissKM ).


_For ( _MissKM_) who prompted me on twitter. Prompt will be posted at the bottom of the page. _

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><p><strong><em>Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or the characters used in this story.<em>**

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><p><span><strong>Jung<strong>

**Jung**_(Korean) [yung] – a special feeling that is stronger than mere 'love' and can only often be proved by having survived an argument with someone._

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><p>He loves both sides of her.<p>

When she's Detective Beckett she's all hard lines, fierce, determined, and demanding authority.

When she's Kate she's cautious, sensitive and lovely, extremely devoted to the things she loves.

But when they're fighting, oh it's a completely different story.

She's defensive and unrelenting, hurting and vulnerable; an equal mixture of both sides that infinitely terrifies him.

He doesn't know what to do with her when she's like that, doesn't know how to fix things between them. Touching her is out of the question, talking to her is impossible and apologizing only riles her up more. So even after five months of dating, he does the only thing he knows won't further damage their relationship.

He leaves her alone.

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><p>Three days ago he asked her to move in with him.<p>

Maybe it was still too soon, but he's loved her for longer than five months and he's not afraid to admit that when it comes to her, he wants it all.

She panicked when he initiated the conversation, that look of fight or flight written all over her face.

He wouldn't let her run, so she chose to fight.

Castle can't even remember the ridiculousness that she'd come up with as excuses for why she couldn't move in with him. His reaction was to accuse of her of not being committed to their relationship, which left her closed off and seething in the corner of her bedroom.

He had inched closer to her, whispered her name and tried asking one more time, but she'd shut down the conversation and with a resigned sigh, he'd left her alone.

He only chose to stay away from the precinct for a few days to give her some space, some time to cool off and think things over. It took him those few days to come up with a temporary compromise in hopes that they can resolve things.

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><p>Three days away from her is entirely too long.<p>

His initial plan when he steps off the elevator and sees her is to coax her into the break room and present his peace offering, but the look on her face, the way her shoulders slump, instantly alerts him to the fact that something more than their fight is bothering her.

He sets her coffee in front of her and she looks at him as if he's the last person she expected to see today. It's obvious she's still angry, still hurt by the stupid fight they had, but she offers him a small smile as she picks up her coffee.

She's softening and he notices.

But it only takes one glance at the murder board once he sinks down into his chair for him to realize why she looks so defeated. A woman, brutally murdered in an alley and from the looks of the board, they have no leads.

Her voice breaks the silence between them.

"She was in her early forties, left behind a twenty year old daughter. No known enemies and no leads."

Oh, Kate.

His hand finds her knee underneath the privacy of her desk and the soft squeeze puts another small smile on her face. She returns her focus to the file she was looking at before he walked in and he studies what they've written on the board, but his hand remains on her knee.

When Ryan and Espo step off the elevator they pat him on the back and start filling Kate in on what else they've found. Their friendliness tells him that Kate hasn't told them anything about the fight.

He follows her into the break room a few hours later and takes over making her coffee when he notices the slight shake in her hands. When he hands her the cup a few moments later, she steps in closer to him and the look on her face tells him she wishes they were somewhere more private.

"I'm glad you're here," she whispers, but before she can step back he wraps his hand around her wrist, keeping her close for a moment longer.

"Will you come over tonight? I'll cook you dinner and we can talk."

She nods her answer, regretfully pulls her wrist away and steps around him to head back into the bullpen.

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><p>They day passes slowly, quietly, and they receive no leads.<p>

Castle leaves an hour before Kate's shift ends so that he can have dinner ready by the time she gets to the loft. To his surprise, she arrives not even twenty minutes after her shift ends. In all the time he's known her; he can count on one hand the number of times she's actually left the precinct at a normal time.

She's mostly quiet during dinner, making occasional polite conversation while they eat, but not overly friendly or even remotely close to their usual dinner talk.

Castle chooses to wait until they're finished eating and comfortable on the couch to bring up the elephant in the room.

"Kate, I-"

"Castle, I'm sorry," she blurts out as soon as he starts talking, effectively cutting him off. "I could've handled your request so much better than I did and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for making you doubt my commitment to you."

"I appreciate that, but will you just listen for a second, please?"

Her answering nod has him clearing his throat so that he can continue. But now that he's having this conversation with her, he's worried about what her reaction to his peace offering will be.

"I'm sorry for ambushing you with that question the other night. I know asking you to move in here is a big deal and I probably could have prepared you for it a little better, but you have to understand my reasoning for it. We've been dating for five months now, but our relationship is so much more than that, Kate. I didn't ask you to move in here because I want to rush things. I asked you to move in because I want it all with you."

The soft weight of metal presses against his palm as he withdrawals the key from his pocket and folds his fingers around it. Kate is too lost in thoughts of what he just said to notice.

"I want it all with you too, Castle," she whispers as she turns her body towards him and scoots closer. "I do, but I just don't think I'm ready to take that step yet. Can…can you give me a little more time and then maybe ask me again?"

He can't be mad at her for wanting to take things slow. It took him so long to get her to let him in and the last thing he wants to do is push her for more when she's not ready. She just admitted that she wants it all with him and that's enough. When she's ready for more, she'll let him know. It's not as if what they have going right now isn't amazing.

Besides that, her answer has him feeling more confident about the key.

"I have a better idea," he says as he holds his closed fist out to her and motions for her to hold her hand out.

When she does he drops the small key into her hand. "You can come and go as you please. You're more than welcome here and I want you to have access anytime you need it. Now when you're ready to move in, all you have to do is bring your things here."

She smiles as she closes her hand around the key and clutches it to her chest. And then she's moving so that she can drape herself across his lap and wrap her arms around his neck.

"This is perfect, thank you." But as if her words aren't enough, she thanks him with her mouth as well. A gentle, emotional kiss that restores their relationship and reminds them how good they really are together.

She keeps her forehead pressed against his when she breaks the connection between their lips and Castle's hands trail up and down her back.

"I hate when we fight," he whispers against her cheek and she presses another kiss to his lips.

"I do too. I'm glad we're not anymore."

They're quiet for a long time, content to stay wrapped around each other in the comfortable silence of the loft.

But just as he always does, Castle reads her mind.

"You'll get justice for that girl's mother, Kate. And one day soon, we'll get justice for yours as well."

In the time that she's known him, he's always managed to find the right words to say. This time is no different. And she finds herself believing that justice lies just on the horizon.

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><p><em>Prompt: Rick gives Kate a key to his loft. Bonus points if it's after they have a fight or Kate has a bad day at the 12th.<em>

_Would love to hear your thoughts! xo_


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